DEFENDING THE PHILIPPINES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 295, 15 December 1941, Page 5

DEFENDING THE PHILIPPINES

REALITIES FACED PEOPLE APPEAL FOR HELP BEFORE TOO LATE R«- d. 6.3 up.in > New York. Dec. 13 Mr. Francis Sayre, Philippines High Commissioner. in a rado message from Manila, told the United States: "iVv \e come to grips with reality here. We have seen Japanese squad* ion* of planes dropping death and • it.-auction upon portions ot Manila and Cavite.*’ In the Commissioner's office ecun»:nic experts pile sandbags, political advisers stack water cans and stenogiapnvrs make mprovised gas masks. We are fighting to the death because we have confidence in our cause ana our leader. We know you will send help, not permitting disputes, red tape or anything else to delay sending ■ ■I:- ■.. pl (an it is too late.” WASHINGTON. Dec. 13. A common. que says that Japanese aircrall iMJinoed Ccou and Clarkfield in the i’h.i.ppiites. The enemy’s plan is now < > arly x wealed as an attempt to .:am ; mprovised an bases outside the a.va he.ii by the United States ground defences. MANILA. Dec. 13. An official -laiement says the Japanese landing forces which gained a foothold al i.-ngaytn on the west coast of Luzon. • 100 miles from Manila, have Dee*, wiped out. A communique timed at 7.55 a.m. local time, states: — •‘Operations continue aga t th< Japanese at the three Luzon landing points. Aparn. Vigan and Ligaspi. otherwise the situation is unchanged The Manila representative of th« Associate* Press of Great Britain say. hundreds of Japanese parachutists and land troops were wiped out in th< mountains in north and central Luzon. An eyewitness said the Japanese parachutists carried small gasoline tanks presumably for incendiary use. The Philipir.os fought vigorously and bravely. Many parachutists were killed while dangling in the air and others were captured upon landing. The Japanese were outnumbered and finally surrenderee. Several large squadrons of Japanese 1 bombers attacked objectives on the fringe of Manila early on Saturday | afternoon. A three-mile area bordering the Nichols airfield showed the blackened ruins of more than 100 small residences and stores where the Japanese bomba killed at least 75 and wounded 300. The Japanese both overshot and undershot the airfield objective in their most destructive raid so far on Manila. The days deathroll now exceeds JOO. Heavy rans and storms over a wide area limited Japanese aerial assaults on Luzon Island on Thursday. An army captain. Colin Kelly, aged 26. be« ante America s first hero of the war. He gave his life diving close in over the battleship Haruna. scoring a iatal hit.